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debi_g's review against another edition
I definitely found it upsetting yet necessary to find out the truth about Abagnale. Honestly, there were portions of the film that never struck me as authentic, but I chalked it up to Hollywood's creative measures to make the story more of a moneymaker. As it turns out, I would love to hear what Spielberg and Hanks and DiCaprio think of the truth...once they learn it.
The writing, however, is disappointing and puzzling. The author has credentials, yet the story is organized in a strange manner and many sentences are constructed oddly. For example, page 151 features these sentences: "Mark was unaware that Frank William Abagnale had been married the whole time. Actually, since late 1976, or that he already had children." The editor also failed to notice and repair quoted material like this error on page 153: "The New York scene, it's [sic] commute, record crime, and the daily grind wasn't for me."
All in all, I don't think I will be including this film in my course anymore. The truth needs to be heard, but the writing makes it a challenge to pay close and sustained attention.
The writing, however, is disappointing and puzzling. The author has credentials, yet the story is organized in a strange manner and many sentences are constructed oddly. For example, page 151 features these sentences: "Mark was unaware that Frank William Abagnale had been married the whole time. Actually, since late 1976, or that he already had children." The editor also failed to notice and repair quoted material like this error on page 153: "The New York scene, it's [sic] commute, record crime, and the daily grind wasn't for me."
All in all, I don't think I will be including this film in my course anymore. The truth needs to be heard, but the writing makes it a challenge to pay close and sustained attention.
robinwalter's review against another edition
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
An uncomfortable read, this book exposes the reality of today's "post-truth" world by presenting a very meticulously researched and detailed counterpoint to the version of the Frank Abagnale story. Highly recommended
jrmama42's review
2.0
We recently re-watched the movie "Catch Me If You Can" so this book caught my attention. It was interesting and enlightening, but the point was made very quickly. 25% into the book I gave up. It seemed like the whole story had been told and later chapters looked like an elaboration of what I had already read. Good reporting and eye-opening (and a bit scary!) but not well enough structured to keep me reading the whole thing.
jbriaz's review
informative
slow-paced
2.5
The author provides a detailed takedown of all the lies told by Frank Abagnale Jr. regarding his false tales of larger-than-life scams. But this book needed an editor. The author fails to put the story in chronological order, even though it would make complete sense to do so. And the story becomes prolix and repetitive as it goes along -- causing the reader to lose attention. This is a 446 page book that could've been condensed to 350 pages chronologically and would've been significantly better.
amydavid's review
3.0
Fairly interesting, but the weird detours into the whole concept of propaganda didn't quite work.
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